If you would like to own this unique piece of artwork then you best snap it up quick as there has already been plenty of interest in it. It has been painted in acrylic and is 15 x 16 inches. The price is £175 (including postage and packaging) and is sold with the frame. Contact us via the website, our facebook account or on Tel: 01642-485343 if you want any further details or call into the shop if you would like a closer look!

While I'm here, I may as well talk a bit about Amy Winehouse!

I don't know an awful lot about her (apart from the fact she was a great singer and died last year) but I did a little google-quest earlier and after reading about 5 million websites, I think she comes across as troubled, but she was real, strong, vulnerable and genuine. I like her. For any of you people who like her too, I've pinched a few quotes from the internet from her interviews etc. Enjoy.

"There is no point in saying anything but the truth. Because, at the end of the day, I don't have to answer to you, or my ex, or ... I shouldn't say God ... or a man in a suit from the record company. I have to answer to myself."

"My music. It's the only thing I have real dignity in in my life. That's the one area in my life where I can hold my head up and say, "No one can touch me." 'Cos no one can touch me!"
 
"I don't ever want to do anything mediocre. I hear the music in the charts and I don't mean to be rude, but those people have no soul. Learning from music is like eating a meal - you have to pace yourself. You can't take everything from it all at once. I want to be different, definitely. I'm not a one trick pony. I'm at least a five-trick pony."
 
"I'm not religious at all. I think faith is something that gives you strength. I believe in fate and I believe that things happen for a reason but I don't think that there's a high power, necessarily. I believe in karma very much though."

"There are so many rude people around and they're the people that don't have any real friends. And relationships with people - with your mum, your nan, your dog - are what you get the most happiness in life from. Apart from shoes and bags. "
 
Her answer to the question "Are you going to turn into a diva?"---"I'm probably already one, if that means that you don't give a *** about people's opinions. I don't suffer fools gladly. I'm not here to make friends. I've learnt that the hard way - I used to not say things like "I really want to hold a guitar in my video", because I was trying to make everyone like me. But I don't give a *** now. At the end of the day I'm there to do my job, I'm not there to have picnics. So, if that's being a diva then yeah, I will be one."
 
"I don't listen to anyone except my ... inner child anyway."
 
"I say things in songs,I wouldn't even admit to myself,looking in the mirror"  

"Life happens. There is no point in being upset or down about things you can’t control or change."

"I'm not in this job to be a ****** role model."  

"I always said I never wanted to write about love, but then I went and did that anyway."  

"I write songs a lot when I can't get my head around a situation or I just can't get past it emotionally and then I write a song and I feel better because I've gotten something good out of something bad."  

" The minute I even start to think about what I'm doing I just lose it. I have to just shut my eyes and flow."

"If you don't throw yourself into something, you'll never know what you could have had."

Well, that's enough quotes for now, there was some other good ones but they were a bit head cracking for a Saturday afternoon.

Bye for now

Kerry :)

The other night I was wrapped up warm in bed and got to wondering about the homeless people out on the streets at this time of year. I get annoyed when I can't get my pillows 'just right'. Imagine having to sit on an ice cold bench or pavement all night? I'm not saying this to induce guilty feelings though...I'll come to my point soon.
 
After one of my classes the next day, I came downstairs and noticed a big stall set up with loads of leaflets. Being nosy as usual, I walked over and started chatting. They were promoting a local service called Nightstop. In a nutshell - these people organise emergency accommodation for homeless, vulnerable young people aged 16-25 for up to three nights at a time. There are trained 'host' volunteers who offer a room in their own home, a hot meal, a friendly chat and safety.
 
I wondered how it would go down with my two housemates and landlord if I did this. Then remembered there is only a tiny settee on offer and we wear five layers of clothing around the house rather than switch the central heating on. So, that idea was out the window.
 
HOWEVER...
 
A more feasible (and landlord-friendly) way to help, is to donate clothing and toiletries. Imagine not being able to brush your teeth? Wash your hair? Now imagine how good it would feel to be welcomed into a warm friendly home after being hungry and cold for days...
 
When I finished chatting with these nice people, I went and bought some toothpaste, toothbrush, a toothbrush case (cool invention) and some shampoo then handed them in. It's not a totally selfless thing to do (and I'm no Mother Teresa by a long shot) as I got a buzz from feeling like I had done a good deed. It's nice to know you might have made someones life a little bit easier.
 
To put this into a more personal context, Kris, my colleague at the shop shared his own experience. At seventeen, he found himself homeless and there was only so many times he could rely on friends. Consider also, the fact that his self-esteem must have taken a battering to be in a situation where he felt so dependent on others his own age. Kris came to a point where he really needed help and was referred to Nightstop.   That same day, he had a meeting with one of their volunteers so that they could determine how best to help him [note: If the young person is a drug user or is having problems with alcohol abuse, they are signposted to experts who can deal with their specific needs]. In Kris's case [not having those issues, but being homeless nevertheless], a taxi came to collect him later that day and took him to his temporary home. He said that although he felt nervous, the host was friendly and welcoming - showing him around her house, making him a cup of tea, providing food and chatting with him. When it came to using the bathroom though, Kris said "If I'm staying in someones home, I'd feel bad using their things, so to be given a welcome bag made me feel loads better".
 
This 'welcome bag' is what is put together from all those donations. Even if you just donated some deodorant or some socks or gloves, it's all good. Every little helps! I must admit, I was suprised when Kris told me that he had used Nightstop himself. Kris is now a full time apprentice, doing a job he loves and has a flat. He had nothing but good things to say about the service and said "It put me back on my feet".
 
If you would like to make a donation (clothes, hats, toiletries etc) then you could take it to Nightstop, 17 Queen Street, Redcar or alternatively, drop it off in the shop and I could arrange for it to be collected. If you want to take this a step further, other options are:
 
-Volunteering
-Becoming a host
-Driving
-Befrienders
-Collecting and organising toiletries yourself
-Making a one-off/regular donation
-Taking a money box to use on behalf of Nightstop
-Arranging for a member of Nightstop to give a presentation at your workplace
 
Well, I think that covers most of what I had to say. It's Christmas people...and it's effing cold out there.
 
Kerry x